Scientists have found the explanation of the vitality of animals
Chemists and biologists from the US and Italy have discovered a protein that helps animals to survive during dehydration. About his discovery, they reported in the journal Molecular Cell.
Previously, scientists thought that tardigrades can use trehalose is a disaccharide found in other organisms, successfully opposing dehydration. However, the content of this substance in very little animalcules, and in sequencing were not detected in the gene encoding the enzyme necessary for the production of this disaccharide.
In the study, scientists have identified genes that aktiviziruyutsya dehydration. It turned out that different species of animals it is one and the same set of genes that encodes proteins, which biologists have called “characteristic of animalcules internally disordered proteins” (tardigrade-specific intrinsically disordered proteins — TDPs). Also, the study authors noted that those species in which these genes are constantly activated, faster return to normal after dehydration.
“The main conclusion of our study is that thehedge in the process of evolution acquired genes that allow them to survive dehydration. In addition, proteins encoded by these genes, can be used to protect against dehydration, bacteria, yeast and enzymes” — said one of the authors, postdoc the University of North Carolina Thomas Boothby.
The last statement the authors of this article tested by introducing selected genes into the genome of yeast and bacteria. Proteins, TDPs, and defended by these organisms.